

Today we explored the Science and Industry Museum, then wrapped up the night with dinner and an amazing show at Medieval Times. Lots of learning, laughs, and great memories already, and we’re just getting started! 🏰⚔️
Artist of the Week - Maria Landeros is a junior in 2D Art, section 4. Maria is a fantastic artist and has been making exceptional work at TC for years. Maria's assignment was to create an art piece that evoked emotion when looked at. Maria did an excellent job on her 14" x 18" canvas. Her use of color, subject matter, highlights and details created a quality work of art.








The public school districts serving Adams, Marquette, and Waushara Counties come together with a single purpose: To advocate for students while honoring our responsibility to taxpayers. This message is not partisan. It is practical. As local education leaders, we are entrusted with delivering strong academic outcomes while managing public resources wisely.
Across Wisconsin, families are navigating higher costs for groceries, utilities, fuel, and health care. School districts are facing those same financial realities. The price of transporting students, heating and powering our buildings, providing meals, and maintaining employee benefits has climbed significantly. Inflation has not spared public education.
When the state reported a $4 billion surplus, we believed it signaled an opportunity to acknowledge these shared economic pressures. Yet K–12 public schools received no increase in general state aid in the most recent biennium. At a time of rising costs, flat funding functions as a reduction.
Our districts have long exercised fiscal discipline. However, when state support fails to keep pace with inflation, the financial burden does not disappear — it shifts locally. Through the state funding formula and recurring referendums, communities are left to bridge the gap. For our families, farmers, retirees, and small businesses, this growing reliance on property taxes is neither sustainable nor equitable.
Wisconsin needs a bipartisan agreement that restores stability to school funding. The current impasse limits responsible long-term planning and forces districts into short-term, referendum-driven solutions. Historically, our state provided annual per-pupil adjustments tied to inflation, offering predictability and shared responsibility. Those cost-of-living adjustments were eliminated during the 2009 recession and have never been reinstated, despite years of economic recovery.
We believe there is a constructive path forward — one consistent with a true “Wisconsin Way” of compromise and cooperation.
1. Restore Inflationary Adjustments to State Aid
Reinstating a statutory link between per-pupil funding and the Consumer Price Index — a framework first advanced under Governor Tommy Thompson — would ensure funding keeps pace with real-world costs. This is not an expansion of spending; it is preservation of purchasing power and planning stability.
2. Utilize Current Surpluses for Immediate Relief
The state’s growing surplus, built from taxpayer contributions, presents an opportunity to provide meaningful property tax relief while delivering an immediate increase in state aid. Doing so would ease operational strain on districts and reduce pressure on local taxpayers.
3. Reestablish Predictability Through Bipartisan Commitment
Our communities need stability. Moving away from referendum-to-referendum budgeting allows districts to focus on improving student achievement, strengthening workforce readiness, and expanding opportunities rather than navigating financial uncertainty.
Wisconsin’s long-term economic strength depends on the quality of its public schools. Previous generations benefited from robust educational programming — art, music, physical education, libraries, and school nursing services were standard offerings. Without funding that reflects actual costs, districts will be forced to scale back opportunities at the very moment students need them most.
We are not requesting unchecked spending. We are calling for a return to a proven, bipartisan funding structure that once positioned Wisconsin as a national leader in both educational quality and fiscal stewardship.
We respectfully urge you to move beyond the current stalemate and work together toward a practical, responsible solution that supports students while protecting taxpayers.
Sincerely,
The School Districts of Adams, Marquette, and Waushara Counties
Adams-Friendship, Almond-Bancroft, Montello, Tri-County, Wautoma, Westfield, and Wild Rose
CC:
Governor Evers, Rep. Peterson, Sen. Cabral-Guevara, Rep. Dahlman, Sen. Jagler, Sen. Testin, Rep. Krug











Artist of the Week - Faith Joseph is a junior in art. Faith is new to our school this year and is a shining star in art! She took Fired Up in the fall and is now in 2D Art, Section 1. Faith has many pieces that have been saved for our May art show and consistently makes quality work. Her optical illusion drawing stands out and is fantastic. Her craftsmanship and use of shading make her work pop and trick the eye, as an optical illusion should.











































Artist of the Week - Montserrat Paredes is an 8th grade student in art. Montserrat did a fantastic job glazing her clay bowl. Her use of design and color make her work stand out! Her pottery will be saved for our annual art show in May.

